Ethnicity, self-care, and use of medical care among the elderly with joint symptoms.
Elderly individuals with self-reported joint symptoms representing three ethnic groups (i.e., blacks [n = 105], Hispanics [n = 100], and whites of Eastern European origin [n = 112] answered questions about their use of self-care and medical care for these symptoms. Ethnic groups differed in both self-care practices and their use of medical care for joint symptoms. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that arthritis-specific and general health status were better predictors than ethnicity of the tendency to rely on self-care and medical care. There was no evidence that self-care served as a substitute for medical care.
Coulton
C J
CJ
Milligan
S
S
Chow
J
J
Haug
M
M
D000368:Aged; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009820:Ohio; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D012648:Self Care